03/29/2023
Good day to you fellow neighbors and community, my name is Jennell Rayos, owner of Sunny Paws Market. It’s just over a year since I’ve last updated you all on the ongoing saga.
For those of you who don't know, in October 2021 I met with and signed a contract for a Vanilla Buildout for the location at 1949 Firecracker Suite 120/130, Buda, Hays County, Texas, 78610, with a local General Contractor, known as JR with BestQuote Texas. JR’s legal name; Raul Salcedo, JR. I hired JR to oversee retail tenant improvements for a Vanilla Buildout; empty retail space needing walls, HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing and anything necessary to function as a business. After we signed the contract we drove in separate cars to University Federal Credit Union in Austin, Travis County, Texas, 78745 to initiate the wire transfer for $35,000 for the phase 1 payment.
For over a decade I’ve dreamt of owning and operating a small business. I thought a pet supply store was the best way to offer a modest living for my family of 7 and house full of animals, all while in turn offering our community, an affordable and healthy pet supply store.
When we signed the contract with the General Contractor, he stated, "Once the permits were approved by the city, the completed turn around date would be 30 days or so." At first, 30 days seemed like a quick turnaround, but as the General Contractor explained, the space is small, and our décor is minimal compared to other commercial spaces. Our permit was approved in mid-December of 2021. With the
holidays around the corner, we understood the project wouldn't begin until the first week of January. Work did start but not without a hiccup. The General Contractor explained the mechanical subcontractor who was hired to install the HVAC system quit over a dispute on cost. Originally, the plan was for one unit HVAC system; however, the engineer calculations stated the space called for a split system, rather than one unit. Therefore, we were told by JR, the mechanical subcontractor underbid the job and asked for an additional $12,000 to complete the job. Believing JR, my fiancé and I agreed it was a steep increase, and we would find another subcontractor. It needs to be mentioned, on Feburary 1st, we gave the General Contractor a cashiers check for $3,500 for the additional HVAC unit to accommodate the plans for a split system. While we continued to look for another mechanical subcontractor, electrical and plumbing subcontractors were scheduled for work. We had our first inspection from the City of Buda on February 1st.
The agreement we had with the General Contractor was as follows: 50% down and 25% per phase. In October, when we signed the contract, we gave the General Contractor $35,000, getting him started on the project, along with hiring an architect and engineer. Phase 2 started on February 1st, after passing the first inspection. This is when the relationship with our contractor took a turn. I handed JR a cashiers check for $17,500 to start with Phase 2 items, along with the $3,500 check for split system’s second unit. To get started on Phase 2, the trench with the rough in plumbing needed to be filled in. Without the trench filled in, the concrete could not be laid.
Central Texas was scheduled for bad weather; ice storm 2022. The freeze came and went; we reached out to the General Contractor on the following Monday, February 7th, to get a progress update. We didn't get a response until the 8th, stating, "due to the weather, no work could be done." We followed up by driving to the store, to find the trench had yet to be filled in. When we caught the general contractor in a lie, he became snotty with us. The general contractor didn't have his assistants fill in the trench until Wednesday. Only then were the concrete workers able to start their work a whole week later than stated.
On Saturday, Feb 12th, we showed up unexpectedly to the store to check on progress. The general contractor happened to have a bandage on his left hand. He proceeded to state, "I didn’t want to tell you this, but the other day I brought in a propane tank to heat up the space during the cold snap, in order to lay the concrete". He and another ended up blowing up the tank along with his left hand and forearm. He said he was fine and mentioned that the concrete job would be completed by Sunday the 13th. The Super Bowl came and went. I showed up to the store on Monday the 14th to find the concrete job still wasn't done. The concrete workers did a p**s poor job, and in the process, they caused damage to newly built custom made fixtures, newly laid plumbing and laying rough and uneven cement, which needs to be replaced. The concrete subcontractors mixed the cement openly in our store, tapping into the water supply. They left standing water on our wooden shelving ,causing the wood to be saturated and rippling. It compromised the wood to be useless for weight bearing. Furthermore, we found wet concrete in two of our three drainage pipes, which now need to be repaired. They smoked ci******es in our store, causing the drywall to absorb the smell, leaving 54 pieces that haven’t been used to be completely ruined. Our store was left quite a mess.
We immediately contacted the general contractor to state and document our concerns. He laughed through text, "LOL," where he stated, "We were lucky that we were there." That's when I knew we were in trouble. The contractor should be there through every step of the process. When we had concerns, he should have taken our concerns into consideration instead of blaming us for his lack of oversight. To our surprise, he followed up by asking for more money. There were too many red flags to look past. We immediately started asking for receipts, proof of purchases, and all the materials he stated that he had been purchased with Sunny Paws Market funds. He refused.
I reached out to the Bond and Insurance companies to file a claim against his insurance for the damage; remove and replace plumbing, concrete and shelving. I called his insurance, please see attached documents, he was never insured for commercial properties, and his bond only covered his work not subcontractors work. Which is not what he told us in October of 2021 when we hired and signed the contract with. Furthermore, when I realized he falsified documentation, I reached out to the City of Buda Permits Department to remove him as permit holder and notify them of his deceit.
Our attorneys talked off and, on a few times, then JR released his attorney and started representing himself in our negotiations to our attorney. Those talks have stalled. Its been over a year and I would like this situation to be rectified ASAP. At this point, he has over $53,000 of our funds. The per store on its low end was to generate $20,000 or more a month starting in its third month. The lies, deceit and outright misrepresentation on all fronts; Buildzoom website; Bestquote Texas, misrepresentation of “in House architect, engineer, and subcontractors”, completely underbid the job by 50%, JR has out right refused to return any of the funds or materials and has failed to provide any receipts, proof of purchases, or accountability for the project. JR was looking for a mark and I feel into his trap.
Recently, we’ve made significant steps; submitting complaints with the Office of Attorney General in Texas, and with the FTC. We are now in need of finding an Attorney who is willing to take our case on contingency or we will have to hold a fundraiser to cover court and attorney costs. Furthermore, all the store contents were moved into storage, however, that now has turned into a financial strain. So we are having to sell off our Grooming Tub and Hand crafted counter.
We will continue to keep you posted.
Thank you all for your continued support,
Jennell Rayos
